Empowering Female Entrepreneurship in the Pacific: Fiscal Reforms for Formalization and Growth

This report analyzes the barriers women entrepreneurs face in Pacific island countries and shows how weaving gender-sensitivity into tax design and providing tailored support can boost formalization and underpin sustainable economic growth. Assessing seven Pacific island countries, it shows how convoluted taxation systems combined with inadequate access to finance, regulatory hurdles, and unpaid caregiver responsibilities often complicate the picture for women entrepreneurs. It explains how overhauling complex tax systems, rethinking incentives, and creating small business regimes can reduce structural barriers, broaden tax bases, and create a more inclusive environment for women-owned businesses.